leabeddiaSep 9, 20212 minWanted: CheerleadersThe thing about writing is, a good idea is not enough. It takes structure, discipline and determination to get that good idea into...
leabeddiaMay 3, 20211 minBook Review: The ProjectPublished: 2021, Wednesday Books Courtney Summers's new release, The Project, explores a relationship between two sisters and a cult....
leabeddiaApr 30, 20213 minBuilding a Class Library one Suitcase at a Time.These resources are indispensable for an English teacher on the lookout for great Canadian Literature
leabeddiaMar 19, 20213 minIt Takes a Village, but Mine is in QuarantineIt remains to be seen, when we walk away from all this, how our youth will adapt to our brave new world.
leabeddiaMar 5, 20213 minWe Don't All Need Band-AidsWe honor people who have been oppressed, objectified or underrepresented because they need the love, kindness, respect, and support.
leabeddiaOct 30, 20203 minHalloween with a Pre-Teen, and Then Some.For kids on the cusp of growing out of trick-or-treating, writing to Santa or make-believe, the Covid Pandemic is pushing them over the...
leabeddiaAug 29, 20203 minMy life in Lego BricksAlmost six months in quarantine + three kids + tonnes of Lego blocks = We all stay sane. My boys and to some extent, my little girl enjoy...
leabeddiaApr 14, 20201 minSo CloseHere is my contribution to a beautiful initiative by the Quebec Writers' Federation called Chronicling the Days where writers tell about...
leabeddiaJan 3, 20201 minRewriting is Writing...AgainThis summer I finished the first draft of my YA manuscript. I did the research I needed, took the writing classes, joined a writing...
leabeddiaAug 5, 20192 minBook Review: I Am a Feminist A few months back, I wrote an entry about a discussion I had with my students about feminism. A lot of them had such a negative reaction...
leabeddiaJun 22, 20192 minNo More Pencils, no More Books...Today I completed my fifteenth year of teaching. In many ways, teaching teenagers has gotten easier with time. Of course, in other ways,...
leabeddiaJun 4, 20192 minBook Review: The Agony of Bun O'Keefe or Why a Great Novel is like my Mom's Meatballs.My mom is the best cook I know. She makes her own bread, pasta and pizza. Everything is from scratch. When I was a kid, she would have...
leabeddiaJun 3, 20194 minWhy YA? The first novel I read as a teenager was S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders. If you've been to high school, you've probably read it. Published...
leabeddiaMay 27, 20191 minBook Review: The Marrow Thieves Métis author, Cherie Dimaline said about her novel The Marrow Thieves that she wanted to write a world where indigenous youth are the...
leabeddiaMay 1, 20191 minBook Reviews: "Lost Boy" and "Sister Wife"Canadian author Shelley Hrdlitschka writes about the fictional polygamist community of Unity. Celeste, defying her father and structure...
leabeddiaApr 14, 20192 minWhat's Your Process?Once a week I attend a writing workshop. It's great. I get feedback on my writing, and get to read some brilliant work created by my...
leabeddiaApr 3, 20194 minTen More Reasons to Read to your KidsWe all know reading is a great habit to teach children. There is solid developmental theory to support reading to children from an early...
leabeddiaMar 23, 20192 minFalling on my Butt: A new PerspectiveThis winter has been hard. There's so much snow and ice we can't see out our windows. Driving conditions have been dangerous, and the...
leabeddiaMar 11, 20193 minWho's a Feminist? Three Boys Raise Their Hands Last week I watched a Nike commercial, entitled Dream Crazier with my students. It is narrated by Serena Williams and highlights how...
leabeddiaMar 6, 20191 minPeas for ÉloïseHere's a little something I wrote years ago after feeding my daughter (six months at the time) a bowl full of mashed peas. I should have...